Signaling apparatus.



S. DANENHOWER. SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLIcATIoN FILED JULY s, 1912.

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5mm/w60@ Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

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GMM/nag THE AGRRIS PETERS C0.A PHom-LITHD., WASHINGTUN, D. L'.

S. DANENHOWER. SIGNALING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JULY a, 1912.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

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THE NURRIS PETERS CO.. PHoToL/THD.. wAsHlNGmN. D, C.

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SLOAN DANENI-IOVTER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

SIGNALNG APPARATUS.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, SLOAN DANnNHowER, a citizen of the United States, at present residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fair-` field and State of Connecticut, have invent.- ed certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in signaling apparatus `and is particularly designed for war of other vessels when operating in iieet maneuvers and its object is to provide an apparatus whereby signals may be automatically displayed simultaneously with the commands given to the engineers in the engine room relative to the speed or the forward or astern movement of the ship.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustratu ing the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 illustrates my invention installed upon a battleship. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of one of the signals. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the distributing or six-way valve and its operating handle and showing its connection with the transmitter that is arranged on the bridge of the vessel and which is employed for despatching signals to the engine room, the transmitter being shown in elevation. Fig. 4v is a longitudinal section of the operating handle illustrating the air passages therein and the valve for controlling the flow of air through said passage. Fig. 5 is a face view of the outer face of thevalve. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the valve casing. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of one of the signals expanded.

ln-practice the signals are arranged in sets f three on either side of the vessel` and are suspended from one of the yardarms with the lower ends of their supports connected to the deck or bridge whereby to hold each setV in longitudinal alinement and fairly rigid so as to prevent excessive swaying by the wind or by the movement of the vessel.; r1`he signals now in use are made cone-shape and are run up on either side of the vessel by lines suspended from the ends of the yardarm, the present practice being to run them up with their apexes up to denote the ahead movementl of the vessel or with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 3, 1912.

Patented A1103 11, 1914s.,

serial No. 707,526.

base of the cones up to denote the astern movement. The signals are known as cones when their apexes are pointed upwardly and as tops when the positions are reversed.

ln the drawings I show only one set of signals upon either side of the vessel, the signals upon one, the port side, when expanded having their apexes pointed upwardly and upon the other or starboard side with their tops or bases up. However 1n prac-tice two sets of signals may be arranged upon each side of the vessel so that in maneuvering the vessels the signals may be set to denote the direction of thrust or the speed of either the starboard or port propellers. However, when cruising at sea only one set of signals may be used as will be readily understood.

Each signal is substantially alike in construction and operation and I will therefore describe only one andwill apply the corre-` sponding reference characters to the several figures throughout the drawings. Each signal is constructed with a shaft 1 having an eye Q, at each end to each of which is connected a wire cable 3 by which the signals of each set are suspended in longitudinal alinement from one of the yardarms of the vessel. The lower cable 3 is connected to the bridge or to the deck whereby to hold the signals fairly taut to prevent excessive swayingby the wind or by the movement of the vessel.

Upon the shaft 1 is mounted an air cylinder 5 in which operates a piston 6 having a central bore 7 through which the shaft freely passes. Extending from one end of the piston is a tubular piston rod 8 which sur rounds the shaft 1 and which is extended through the upper end of the cylinder as shown. The lower end of the cylinder through which the shaft passes is provided with a stutling-box and gland 9 to prevent leakage of the air that is forced into the cylinder to operate the piston. To the outer end of the piston rod 8 is connected a double flanged ring 10 the upper flange of which is formed with open slots in which are held the lower ends of ribs 11 which are pivotally held upon a wire ring held between the flanges of the ring 10. To the outer ends of ribs 11 are pivoted the lower ends of ribs 12 whose upper ends` arepivoted to a ring 13 that is securely held upon the upper end. lof the shaft and which is similar in con-4 struction to the ring 10. A cover 14 of suitable material is arranged over the ribs 13 and connected thereto in any suitable manner. Surrounding the hollow piston rod 8 within the cylinder is an expansion spring 15 whose function is to normally hold the piston in the lower end of the cylinder and to return it thereto to close or collapse the signal when the pressure in the piston is released as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Compressed air is supplied to the cylinders 5 for operating the pistons to expand the signals through pipes 16 which are connected to the lower ends of the cylinders and which extend from a six-way distributing valve 17 mounted on the bridge of the vessel and which is operatively connected to the annunciator 18 employed for despatching signals to the engine room. The valve 17 is constructed` with a casing 19A having air ports or passages 20 to each of which is con `nected one of the pipes 1G that extend to the cylinders 5. The ports 20 open through a valve seat 19 formed in the casing against which is rotatively held a valve 21 having a single port or passage 22 which extends rearwardly through one end of the stem 23 of the valve. The stem of the valve is rigidly connected to the pivotal end of a transmitter handle 24 carried by a support 18, and the said handle is provided with an air passage or channel 25 which communicates at one end with the air passage 22 and has its opposite end connected to a pipe'26 which extends from a suitable compressed air supply tank (not shown) carriedby the vessel. The passage 25 extends upwardly through the handle from the port or passage 22 and thence downwardly therethrough to the pipe 26 and at the top of the handle the said passage is bisected by a valve socket 27 in which is held a spring seated valve 28 that controls the passage of air through the said channel. The valve 28 is formed with a stem 29 that extends upwardly through the end of the handle 24 so that it may be engaged by the thumb when the handle is grasped to operate the transmitter. The face of the valve 21 is formed with a segmental groove 30 which registers with all of the ports or passages 20 except the port with .which the valve port 22 is in register. The

groove 30 opens to the atmosphere through a port 31 arranffed in the valve 21. By thus connecting the distributing valve with the transmitter handle it will be evident that the signals are operated simultaneously with the command given the engine room relative to the speed of the vessel.

Further understanding of the construction of the apparatus and its use will be best understood from the following description of its operation: As stated the signals are arranged in sets of three on either side of 4officer on the bridge of the flag-ship signals his engineer to start, we will say, at slow speed and as he throws the handle 24 over to transmit the command to the engine room the distributing valve will be correspondingly moved so that the port 22 will register with the port 20 leading to the lower cylinder 5 on the port side-otthe vessel, the stem 29 of the valve 28 is then pushed down which opens the passage 25 to allow the compressed air to rush into the lower end of the lower cylinder 5 thus elevating the piston jand opening or setting the lower signal.

the valve 28 is then released thus trapping the air in the said cylinder and holding the signal open. When the speed is to be increased, we will say, to half speed, the transmitter handle is thrown over to its next position which rotates the valve 21 to cause its port 22 to register with the port 2O leading to the middle signal of the set which movement brings the groove 30 into register with the port 20 leading to the lower cylinder thus allowing the air to escape therefrom when the spring in said cylinder will force the piston to the lower end of its cylinder and thus collapse or close the signal. Then by operating the valves 28 aspreviously described air will be admitted to the second or middle cylinder to expand the signal. The same operation will be followed in setting the upper signal to indicate full speed ahead. By reversing the direction of throw of the handle the signals o n the starboard side of the vessel may be operated to indicate the astern movement of the vessel.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and eflicient apparatus that may be readily set up or removed and by which signals may be transmitted to all 'the vessels of the fleet simultaneously with the command given the engineers yof the vessels relative to the speed or the direction of thrust of the propellers without giving the command by word of mouth and the operation of the signals by hand. By arranging two sets of signals'on either side ofthe vessel it will be apparent that signals may be givento run one propeller ahead andv the other astern which is an advantage especially in maneuvering the ships when starting on a cruise.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 7 the signals are constructed with the ribs 11 shorter than the covered ribs 12 which latterare'pivoted at their upper ends to a fixed ring so that when Athe signals* are expandedV theywill-talre a lOl) cone shape with their apeXes arranged upwardly. I'Iowever when the cones are in verted or have their tops down it will be understood that their shorter ribs 11 will be pivotally held to the fixed ring and their longer covered ribs pivoted to the piston rod so that when expanded their tops will be down.

Vhile I have shown the signals constructed to take a cone shape when expanded I do not wish to be limited to this form as it is evident that they may be constructed to take a spherical, semispherical or other shape as desired. Neither do I wish to be limited to the arrangement or location of the distributing valve as it is obvious it may be detached from the transmitter and if desired a three-way valve may be employed for each set of signals. It is also obvious that slight changes may be made in the construction of the apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a transmitting handle having an air passage therein, means carried by said handle for controlling flow of air through said passage, of a series of visible signals, separate means for operating said signals, and a selective valve interposed between said handle and said signal operating means, said selective valve being carried by and operatively connected with said handle.

2. The combination with a transmitting handle, of a selective valve operating in unison with said handle, a/ series of visible pneumatically operated opening and closing signals, an air passage in said handle having communication with said selective valve, and manually controlled means carried by said handle for admitting air to said valve for the purpose of opening the selected signal, the shifting of `the position oi' said handle automatically exhausting air from and closing all but the selected signal.

3. In combination with a transmitting handle, of a series of eXpansible signals, separate air controlled means for opening each signal, a selective valve operatively connected to said handle and working in unison therewith, said valve cutting all but one of said signals out of operation at a time, and an operating means carried by said handle and controlling the opening of the remaining signal, said last mentioned signal being released and automatically closed upon shifting the position of the handle.

1l. A device of the kind described, comprising a plurality of eXpansible signals, an air cylinder for each signal, a piston working in each cylinder, each piston being connected to one of said signals, a valve casing having air passages each of which is adapted to communicate with one of said cylinders, a valve working in the casing, an air supply passage in said valve adapted to register successively with the casing passages, a handle operatively connected to said valve and having an air passage in communication with said valve passage, a hand controlled valve controlling passage oi' air through said handle, and a source of air supply in constant communication with said handle, said valve having an exhaust passage which registers with all of said passages of the valve casing except the one with which the supply passage of the said valve registers with.

5. A device of the kind described, comprising a plurality of signals, separate pneumatically operated means for operating said signals, a transmitting handle having an air passage, a manually operated valve controlling the passage of air through said handle, and a selective valve controlling the operating means of said signals, the said valve being carried by and operated in unison with said transmitting handle and adapted to receive air under pressure to be transmitted to the signal operating means through said handle, as and for the pur' pose set forth.

6. A signaling apparatus, comprising a support, an expansible signal connected at one end of said support, an air cylinder carried by the support, a piston working in said cylinder and slidingly held on said sup port and having a hollow piston rod surrounding said support connected to said signal, means to supply air under pressure to said cylinder, for the purpose specified, and means for controlling the admission of the air to and its outlet from said cylinder.

7. A signaling apparatus, comprising a support, an eXpansible signal connected at one end to one end of the support, an air cylinder carried by the support, a piston working in said cylinder having a piston rod that is connected to the opposite end of said signal, means to supply air under pressure to said cylinder to operate said piston to eX- pand the signal, means for controlling the admission of air to the cylinder, and means for collapsing said signal when pressure upon the piston is released.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this iirst day of July, A. D. 1912.

SLGAN DANENIIOWER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. WOLFE, EDWARD L. STEUART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, '.D. G. 

